The Fated Encounter
by tmart.x13
Summary: Aqua has been trapped in the Realm of Darkness for sometime now, with no end in sight and nobody else around. Except for one person now that finds her...Sephiroth. What could have spawned this unlikely meeting? Was it just coincidence? Or was it fate? (AquaRoth is an AU is inspired by chachacharlieco on Tumblr. Cover photo also by chachacharlieco who allowed me to use it.)
1. Chapter 1

Okay so I'm back with another fanfic. This odd project was inspired by the AquaRoth idea from pictures I've seen on Tumblr by user **chachacharlieco**. So big credit to them for, as they called it, "a cursed idea." The inspiration comes from that, but this story is completely original. Also, credit to fanfiction user **Riku Kingdom Hearts** for editing and helping with the details post draft. Well, let's just jump in to this crazy ride! (Cover photo is by **chachacharlieco** who gave me permission to use it.)

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Aqua had roamed the Realm of Darkness for what seems like eons. Days, months, years...just how long has it been? With no time flowing in the Realm of Darkness she had no idea how much time had passed in the realm of light. When she had seen Mickey he had told her that it had been ten years. But how long had it been now? How much longer would she have to wander?

Exhausted from her time there, with enduring many various battles, she trudged onward before falling to a knee. Breathing heavily, she decided to take a bit of a rest. Just for a short bit. It couldn't hurt to do so.

"I'm so tired. I wonder when...no, if I will get out of here. It's just getting hard to...keep...going…" Her sentence trailed off as she fell onto the ground into a slumber, not giving any thoughts about what could happen whilst she slept.

* * *

As he flew up above, Sephiroth noticed a faint outline of something through the fog of darkness. Something...no...it was someone. He decided to take a closer look. When he got closer, what he saw was a woman. Her blue hair and the way she looked reminded him of someone familiar. She was mumbling several things in her sleep. She muttered names of people, but they were names that Sephiroth was not familiar with. He then resolved to watch over her until she woke, wanting to know exactly what she was doing there.

* * *

Opening her eyes slowly, she saw something dark. Aqua fluttered her eyes a few more times before noticing that this dark object looked like...a wing. A solid, black wing was covering her body. When she finally came to her senses, she immediately was on alert. Immediately suspicious of the person next to her.

"Who...who are you? And why are you here?" she questioned as she jumped to her feet. She summoned her keyblade, pointing it towards the mysterious man that she could now completely see.

"Funny. I was going to ask you the same question. You're quite bold. Surely you're aware of the Heartless and the darkness they inflict..." He gave a sarcastic smirk as he trailed off. "My name is Sephiroth. I am a being that transcends all others. Now… you appear to be tired. That's what happens when you depend on the light too much."

She was taken aback by those last words. His coldness coming from his eyes and the smile he had made her feel uneasy. Whomever he was, she didn't trust him one bit.

"I am Master Aqua. I will not give into the darkness. I've come too far now to give up!" she stated as she stepped back farther, with Master's Defender prepared to strike.

"Ah, of course. I see you are another one chosen by the key. I assume your friends may have a keyblade? Terra and Ven were they?"

"Wha...wait, how do you know about them?" Aqua asked.

"You must have had quite the dream...or nightmare since you tossed so much as you slept. You must be trying to get back to them then. How curious...friendship. It's a fickle thing that only holds back one's true potential. Abandon them and embrace your own way."

"I've heard enough! I won't let you talk about Terra and Ven like that!" Aqua said as she attacked.

Sephiroth raised his Masamune up in time to block her attack with the keyblade. With a cold, cynical smile, he taunted her. "Let's dance then."

They fought, exchanging blows constantly. The power of their strikes shattered the ground around them. Each was a master of magic attacks, lighting up the Realm of Darkness with their great battle. It seemed to go on forever until the both of them became exhausted. Aqua and Sephiroth began to feel the tiredness creep in from their battle. They glared at each other before Sephiroth gave a confident smile and broke the silence.

"I must admit...you are quite formidable. I never imagined someone existed to perfectly match my skill. You remind me of Mother. Strong, yet sincere. Bold, yet beautiful. Your independence shines. Your magic prowess is rare to see. I doubt I could even best you should the battle continue. Perhaps this is a blessing from Mother… A fated meeting."

Aqua just stares at Sephiroth, seeing something all too familiar. It was something about the look in his eyes. She could see a man that had been broken. A broken man who seemed so lonely and lost deep inside. Maybe she could help him...to set him back on the right path. Something in her urged her to try and help. She looked down at the ground in thought before being taken in my Sephiroth's words again.

"However...as strong as you are, you still cannot get out of this place. But, I do know a way."

Aqua snapped her head back up, looking at Sephiroth. "Wait, you do? If you do please te-...wait, no. This must be part of your mind games again. I will not fall for it and let you manipulate me."

"I assure you it is no trick Master Aqua. If you come and join me, I can show you the way out. After all, don't you wanna see Terra and Ven again? Seeing as you won't give up on them."

Her heart ached ever so slightly. She did wanna see them again. And she was tired of being here. There was a curious look in Sephiroth's eyes as she stared at him. She wanted to figure him out, but yet he still remained shrouded in mystery. " _Maybe if I go with him, I can help him too. I guess I don't have much else to lose at this point either."_

"Fine. I'll go with you." Aqua muttered this through pursed lips, looking a bit flustered.

Sephiroth gave a snarky smile as he outstretched his right arm. "Good. Come with me then."

Aqua moved toward him cautiously. As she came closer, he wrapped her inside his wing carefully as he moved his arm around her waist. "Just make sure you hold on tight."

Aqua shook her head in understanding. "Of course. Let's not waste anymore time and go."

Sephiroth extended his black wing, and took off into the sky. " _Oh Aqua. I will subjugate you yet. You will soon see things my way."_

* * *

Well, that is the end of it. I have some ideas for possibly continuing the escapade later, but this is all I have for now. Hope you enjoyed reading this...odd little story. XD Let me know what you think. Until next time!


	2. Chapter 2

We are back with the next part of this crazy Aquaroth AU, inspired by posts on Tumblr by user **chachacharlieco.** Sorry for such a long delay in getting this next one out, but I didn't know if I would do a next part, so it was A LOT of planning. Also, credit to fanfiction user **Riku Kingdom Hearts** for editing and helping with the details post draft. Well, let's get to the next part of this adventure now.

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

They flew for what seemed like forever. Suddenly, Aqua was blinded. She fluttered her eyes furiously in an attempt to be able to see what was in front of her. She peered out from behind Sephiroth's wing to see something amazing. The sky. It was so bright. It had been so long since she had seen it. The light. It was so warm. She felt a surge of energy as it beamed down upon her. She was overcome with emotion and shifted a bit too much under Sephiroth's wing.

"I thought I told you to hold on. Otherwise, you'll fall."

"Yes I know… It's just...been so long since I've seen the light."

"Hmpf." Sephiroth scoffed at her comment. He didn't care much for the light. He didn't care much for anything anymore. But for some reason, Aqua had caught his attention. There was some unexplainable aura about her that drew him in. As much as he wanted her to conform to his ways, he could feel some sort of change inside of him. It made him uneasy. His mind snapped back to the present as he felt himself dip lower in altitude. Aqua also noticed this.

"We're going down...did you finally decide on a place to take us? Or is it...something else…" she trailed off as she felt his grip on her loosening a bit. "Are you alright?"

Sephiroth maintained his composure, but decided to state the truth, playing his words to her ears as he began to speak.

"It would seem our battle took a bit more out of me than I anticipated. I have to admit that you are quite the talented woman, being able to tire me like this. I'm taking us down now."

They inched ever closer to the the ground, and landed softly with a thud as Sephiroth planted his feet firmly in the sunset-colored dirt. Relinquishing his grip completely on Aqua, he collapsed down to a knee. Aqua was there immediately to try an offer some assistance, although reluctantly, to the man that had saved her from the Realm of Darkness.

"At least let me heal you. It's the least I can do to thank you for getting me out of the darkness. Don't even think of declining that offer either. I will not take no for an answer." Aqua stated firmly with her hand on his shoulder.

Sephiroth decided to just let her play her game and nodded his head in forced approval. Stepping back some, Aqua summoned her Master's Defender keyblade and raised it into the air.

"Curaga!" A white light emitted from the tip of the keyblade as Sephiroth also began to glow in the same light. He noticed the scuffs and marks began to slowly heal as he felt his overwhelming strength return to his body. He stood directly up, back facing Aqua.

"Thanks." It was a reply that was almost automatic and one Sephiroth did not often mutter, especially not in a sincere manner. But, it was almost like instinct when talking to her. He heard a small crash behind him, turning to find Aqua collapsed to the ground. He quickly knelt down to pick her up, checking to see if she was okay. As he looked upon her, he noticed just how beautiful she was. Seeing that she was still breathing, he had a passing thought.

"It seems you've lost the strength to move now. You know, it would be child's play to defeat you as you are now Master Aqua. You healed me but can't even heal yourself." Sephiroth smirked as he finished his short speech.

Aqua, opening her eyes, looked up at gasping breaths she spoke. "What...You still want to fight? But...why? However, I think we both...know that you...won't do that. It's just not...the type...of man you are."

Looking away, Sephiroth quickly replied. "You're right. I would only fight you at your best. You're a person worthy of all my attention. Just get some rest."

Before he even finished, he noticed that Aqua had passed out, obviously tired from the battle. He put her down gently and proceeded to walk away before noticing the breeze in the air. He unleashed the straps on his long, white coat and threw it over her sleeping frame. He proceeded to sit down next to her, much as he did in the Realm of Darkness, and watched over her as she slept. As he kept his eyes on her, he felt a smile come across his cold face, as though his heart was telling him something he didn't yet know. He pondered the meaning of this carefully, turning his attention to setting sun as sounds of waves echoed in the distance as he sat there.

" _Master Aqua is quite the specimen. Her beauty and grace are equally as impressive as her fighting ability. An ability that can even match mine...maybe it's best to stay with her for now knowing this. I wonder just how strong she really is…"_

Amidst the trailing thoughts, there was something else. Something...almost like a warm feeling as he sat next to the young blue-haired keyblade master. He did indeed admire her, and he felt still as though this meeting was fate. But, there was still something that was unsure.

" _What is this feeling...It's like, something familiar. Something I've felt before. Am I feeling...compassion for this woman? She is very similar to mother in many ways...she cares, but is also very strict. She's not afraid of me either…"_

"This is all very interesting...I'll play along for now." Sephiroth chuckled aloud as he looked back towards Aqua's sleeping frame. He ran a hand through her soft, blue hair. "Let's see where this goes, Master Aqua."

* * *

Upon waking, Aqua found herself covered in a thick coat that looked very familiar. Her eyes darted around until she fixated them on Sephiroth, who was standing in the distance. His back towards her. She raised up her keyblade and cured herself of her ailments. The sound of the spell caught the attention of the one-winged man. He turned around to see the blue-haired woman doing what appeared to be some routine morning exercises. He smirked at the sight of her.

"It seems you are up and going this morning Master Aqua."

The sudden cold voice startled her for a moment. She turned around to face Sephiroth.

"Yes, I am feeling much better now." She looked down as she began to speak again. "Oh, and thanks for watching over me and for all of your help so far."

She glanced back up to find Sephiroth just staring at her. Their eyes met for a few seconds before she turned away in embarrassment. She tried to speak, but stammered over her words.

"I um... hate to do this...but, I'm afraid I must get going. I...need to return to the Land of Departure to make sure everything is fine."

Sephiroth saw this as a good opportunity to try and gather some more information.

"It's your friends isn't it? Why don't you take the time to tell me about them. I'm quite...curious."

She hesitated for a moment, remembering how Sephiroth had told her before to just abandon them. She still wanted to know what caused him to think like that, but at the same time, she wanted to find Terra and Ven. But, she couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to help this man. To understand why he is like he is. After all, he did get her out of the Realm of Darkness. She sighed briefly before resolving to take the time to stay with him and tell him.

"Well, it might take a while to go through everything...just so you know."

Sephiroth gave a curt smile. "I have all the time in the world Master Aqua."

Aqua proceeded to tell him all about Terra and Ven and their journeys together. She left nothing out, detailing all of their struggles and their battles against their former master. She paused, biting her lip as she remembered Terra being overtaken by Xehanort. But she continued.

Sephiroth was intrigued by the story, and of the struggles Aqua had been through. He began to understand the warm feeling he had felt was her overwhelming light. It was starting to make sense to him now. And although he had his own motives for trying to get her to join him, he began to feel...empathy. An emotion he thought he had discarded. Could it be that she's having that much of an influence on him? He decided to probe her even more.

"So your friends Terra and Ven… one was taken by the darkness and the other is lost to an eternal sleep. Hmph. You still care for them even though it seems they have left you, Aqua."

"What? No, they haven't left me. That's why I have to get back to the Land of Departure. I'm sure they're still there. What has cause you to think that way? To just cast aside companionship?"

Sephiroth slightly scowled as he remembered his past. The idea of friendship was something he could no longer comprehend. Angeal...Genesis...they both had left him all alone.

He began to speak with a much darker tone. "I had friends once. We grew up together, joined the army together...we were inseparable. They abandoned me all the same. But, I had mother. Mother was the only one who understood me...almost like you do."

Aqua was saddened at hearing this and felt much hurt for the man. She wanted to show him that friendship is not just a fickle emotion and that people can work together. She was determined to understand and help him see the light. But...who was this mother figure?

"Mother? I've been called that before. Terra and Ven joked about me always being overprotective…" She trailed off as she looked aside and remembered the good times they had and cracked a smile at the thought of her friends. She turned back to the man in front of her to finish. "But it's not too late. Just come with me and help me find Terra and Ven and I can show you that it is worth it, that you can believe in the light of friendship. They have to be there..."

Suddenly, Sephiroth finally realized that Aqua was not going to cease her quest to find her friends. He tried to understand her. He tried to get her to see that finding her friends was useless. He went as far as to save her from her hell, but still she thought of nothing but her friends. She was so much like mother, and he wasn't going to to lose her. " _Hmm...it seems I will have to resort to it after all. Nobody else can have Master Aqua. I won't let her leave me."_

"Well, Aqua...if you are going to pursue that, then maybe you should rest more." Sephiroth stated as he waved his hand ever so slightly.

Aqua started to feel a tad dizzy as her vision blurred and her thoughts hazed. Maybe she still had not recovered yet. She tried to stand but her legs were weakened. Soon everything became black as she passed out onto the ground. Sephiroth gave a coy smile as he began to speak.

"I will show you exactly what happened to your 'friends'. You _will_ see things my way."

* * *

"What happened? Where am I? Am I back in the Realm of Darkness?"

Aqua was standing in darkness. Everything around her seemed black with no end in sight. She saw a figure in the distance...a silhouette of a familiar man.

"Terra?!"

She ran full speed towards him. Tears welled up in her eyes as she began to speak.

"I've been gone for so long. I've missed you." Aqua embraced her long lost friend.

"Aqua, it's been quite some time. You look like you've been through alot. It's okay now though."

She continued to embrace her friend, but she felt something change. There was a deep feeling of darkness around her now. She looked up to see his white hair and darkened skin. He turned his eyes to her to reveal those bright, amber pupils.

"No Terra, you have to fight it! Don't let Xehanort control you."

He gave a sly grin as he turned towards Aqua. "Terra is gone. His heart has been consumed by the darkness and only I, Xehanort, remain. He gave up quite easily to the darkness, choosing this power over his dear friends."

Aqua was horrified. "No… that isn't' true! Terra wouldn't do that!"

"Do you not believe me? You see me before you. There is no more Terra."

With wide eyes Aqua turned and ran for what seemed like a while until she was out of breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a smaller boy that looked like someone else she knew.

"Ventus!" Aqua ran faster as she approached him. "Oh Ven, thank goodness I found...you…" She trailed off as she looked closer. As she began to draw closer, the darkness became thicker around the area, engulfing the boy.

She gazed upon a black and read suit of armor. Slowly turning towards the boy's face, she saw those same amber eyes. The face they belonged to had black hair and a dark complexion.

"No, no...not you too Ven. Vanitas what have you done?!" She demanded of him.

"Your precious Ven is gone. He finally realized that he was weak, and gave his heart over to me. He traded your friendship for more power. Now we are finally one again."

"N-No…" Aqua muttered, her voice now trembling with fear.

Terra, or rather Xehanort, appeared beside him. They began to walk toward her. Tears formed in her eyes as she despaired at her friends becoming like this. Why had they left her? Could it be.. That they really gave over to the darkness? What was she going to do? As they got closer, she felt the darkness closing in as she became weak. Suddenly, everything went black.

* * *

Well, there is chapter 2 finished of this wild ride. It was interesting to write all of this angst, but there is even more angst coming. Hehe. The new KH3 trailer revealed Aquanort, so now it's more believable to write Aqua that way, so many ideas are coming. Hope you all enjoyed it! If you liked it, let me know. Until the next time!


	3. Chapter 3

Welcome back to this crazy AU idea of AquaRoth. I finally have the next chapter done after so long, and I am relieved. It's been a struggle, but I just could not find the words for the story at first. So yea, writer's block again. Lol. But, HUGE credit to **RikuKingdomHearts** for going over this and helping to get this chapter done. I have been waiting a while, as have some of you, so let's get to the story now!

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

Aqua jolted awake, surprised to find that she was in the realm of light still. " _Was that a dream? But...it felt so real."_ She looked around to find Sephiroth sitting just inches from her. Dazed and confused, she hoped that he might know what exactly happened.

"Sephiroth. Was I...asleep? What happened?"

"You did pass out again, but do not worry, I watched over you to make sure you were alright," Sephiroth said as he stepped closer to Aqua. "You looked troubled. Is everything alright?"

"I...I had this terrible vision, or nightmare, or...something. Terra and Ven, they...they...were gone. Consumed by the darkness. But, I know that's not true. They would never give into it that way. I told them I would be back. For them to wait on me…" Her words faded into a whisper as she began to feel tears in her eyes.

Sephiroth knew this was the perfect chance. Having formed illusions in her mind, he had forced her into a dazed state. A sly smile came across his long, hard face as he spoke.

"It does appear that way, yes. If you've had those thoughts about them, then you must have believed them to be gone. Your own fear and doubt caused that. Face it...your friends abandoned you, just as I said they had."

"I just can't believe that! They have to be there. It's all my fault. I failed them...I failed them." Aqua lowered her head in self doubt and loathing of herself for being weak.

"You did not fail them, but it was them who failed you. They turned their backs on you. They left you to be on your own," Sephiroth replied, continued his manipulative words.

"No!" Aqua shouted as she shook her head back and forth. "I know that just can't be true! It was just a nightmare nothing more."

Sephiroth frowned for a moment while he pondered over what to say next. Even after creating the illusions in her mind to cause her to become doubtful, she still was clinging on to a little hope. Sephiroth at least had to give her some credit for being so determined. That was one of the reasons she fascinated him though. She had a remarkable amount of that determined.

Finally he found his next words to say. "But aren't vivid nightmares representations of events that have occurred around you? I would say that it was more than your average nightmare. As much as it may hurt, you must accept the fact that your friends are gone."

The tears finally started to flow down Aqua's cheeks. She could no longer hold in her emotions any more. "I still let them down though. There are so many… I've let down…Terra… Ven..." Aqua thought for a moment as memories came back of all the friends she had made over her journey. One boy in particular came to her mind. "Even Zack…"

Sephiroth raised his eyebrows in intrigue and curiosity for the name Zack was a name that was very familiar to him. "Zack? I have never heard you mention someone by that name before."

Aqua wiped away her tears while she tried to calm herself. "He was a boy I met on my journey. He was very nice and optimistic. Zack was very determined to become a hero." Aqua found herself chuckling slightly as she remembered Zack. "He even asked me out on a date… but I had turned him down, though that didn't stop him from trying again. I wonder how he has been all this time. I wonder if he's become a hero yet."

"Hmm from what you have said, I have a feeling the Zack you speak of, is the same Zack that I know," Sephiroth said as he smiled, he now had a new idea to continue with his manipulation of Aqua's mind.

Aqua wiped her head up to look at Sephiroth, jumping to her feet. "You know Zack? He had black spiky hair and bright, confident blue eyes."

Sephiroth chuckled as his smile became cold and cruel. "Yes… It seems we are talking about the same Zack."

"Have you seen him recently? Can you tell me what happened to him?" Aqua asked, becoming curious what had happened to him since her time in the Realm of Darkness.

"I did in fact see him some time ago. He use to look up to me as a hero. But something happened and he no longer saw me as that. I had to fight him… and I ended him," Sephiroth replied with coldness in his voice, though it almost sounded as if he did not care at all.

Aqua's eyes widened as she took a step back. She covered her mouth as she gasped with shock. "No… How… How could you do that? You just said he looked up to you… How could you do that to him!?"

"It was a complicated matter, but it was what had to be done," Sephiroth replied, though he could still see the terror and sadness in Aqua's eyes. He could tell she was becoming wary of him due to his actions towards Zack. He decided to add in one little lie to hopefully ease her tension about him. "It pained me to do such a thing to the boy… but there was nothing else I could do."

Aqua continued to stare at Sephiroth with wide eyes. Even though Sephiroth said he was upset about killing Zack… his tone of voice and expression begged to differ. He still seemed so calm and cruel about the entire matter. Aqua felt her eyes swell up with tears again as she thought about Zack again. The strength in her legs gave out and she dropped back to the ground.

"Zack… Oh Zack…" Aqua muttered as she cried. Her heart twisted in pain as she recalled all the memories of him again. Now they no longer felt like happy memories of the cheerful boy she knew...but they were now painful reminders of the last time she ever got to see him.

A overflow of emotions came over Aqua all at once. She was frustrated, angry, sad, guilty, and regretful. She still couldn't believe Sephiroth had apparently killed Zack. She didn't want to believe that it was true… but Sephiroth hadn't lied to her yet...right? She no longer knew what to believe anymore. She thought she had felt lost and alone when she was in the Realm of Darkness, but now this was a whole new feeling of lost and alone.

"I… I w-wish I could have taken him up on his date…Now… I'll never..." Aqua sobbed as she buried her head into her hands. With the mix of many emotions flowing around inside of her, Aqua let out a yell of anger and frustration. She just felt so sick of it all now. Everything in her life had turned for the worst and there wasn't anything she could do about it. It felt hopeless to her now to hope for the safety and wellbeing of Terra and Ventus.

Sephiroth stood there as he watched Aqua's turmoil. He knew he had seen a lot of sadness in her before, but now he was starting to see something else. Her anger was growing stronger from the looks of it. Her anger grew as her hope withered away faster and faster. The more Sephiroth looked, the more he could see the darkness slowly growing in Aqua. It was still small amount, but it was certainly there. Sephiroth smiled again as he was happy to see everything was going the way he wanted it.

Sephiroth slowly sat down next to Aqua. He knew Aqua was now in a sensitive state and that was the perfect time to manipulate her again. He just needed to persuade her more to believe that he was the only one who could help her. He just needed to remind her again what she had lost.

"It is such a shame you know? You need your friends, but they have all left you. They turned their backs on you when you needed them most. It is quite unfortunate. But Aqua, you don't need to worry anymore. You know I am the only one who is truly here for you. I saved you from the Realm of Darkness when no one else would. I am the only one who you can trust now."

Aqua closed her eyes as she took in deep breaths to calm herself again. She listened to Sephiroth's words carefully. After everything she had been through… she found herself to be glad Sephiroth had saved her. She didn't know what she would have done if she was still trapped in the Realm of Darkness. But now as she thought over Sephiroth's words… she began to see what he meant.

" _Everyone really has abandoned me… I've lost everything… My friends… My home… It's all gone now. Sephiroth… he was right…"_

"Remember Aqua, I know how you feel. I too lost those whom we call friends. They turned and left me just as your friends did to you. I understand you Aqua."

Aqua sighed as she nodded. " _That's right… He knows what this is like…to feel all alone. But he is… He's the only one who understands me now… He's here for me…"_

Aqua slowly leaned back until her head rested against Sephiroth's chest. This action surprised him for a moment, but then he saw the look in Aqua's eyes. They were still full of hurt, but now he saw how broken she was. Her eyes no longer shined with hope. All of her hope and determination to find her friends was gone now. The darkness was slowly starting to creep into her more and more.

Sephiroth smiled at the sight. He slowly wrapped one arm around Aqua. "My dear sweet Aqua, I shall keep you safe. I shall keep you by my side. You are the only one beside mother who has fascinated me so. You already were powerful before, but I cannot wait to see how your strength grows with the power of darkness, and perhaps a little of my own power."

* * *

Alright, so that was the end of that crazy, angsty chapter. This was exactly how I always wanted things to go, and I hope that you guys enjoyed reading this. I'm not sure when the next update will be, as the next chapter has not been started on yet (I just wanted to get this update out ASAP). But, I will be working on it for sure. Let me know if you enjoyed the chapter, and also...check out the page of **RikuKingdomHearts** for some very nice stories. Until the next time!


	4. Chapter 4

Alright and welcome back to this wonderful AquaRoth AU idea again. Finally the next chapter is done, and more quickly than I thought. Wanna say a big thank you to **RikuKingdomHearts** for helping this chapter come together and be what it is. The ideas just started flowing and that's all there was to it. So without further to say, let's get to it shall we.

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

Aqua found herself crying again as she continued to lay against Sephiroth's chest, despairing at the truth that he had laid out before her. Her friends were gone. Everyone and everything that she once knew and cared about before being plunged into the Realm of Darkness… was gone.

Sephiroth, the one who had saved her from the dark realm, was the only one who was there for her now. He had stuck by her side and she had slowly come to trust and rely on him for help. She couldn't believe that had actually happened since she had only known him for a short time and at the start she did not trust him at all. But now after listening to him and understanding what he had to say she trusted him a whole lot. However, there was one thing now that made her conflicted. One thing that she heard Sephiroth just say to her made her feel uncertain again.

She slowly raised her head from Sephiroth's chest to meet his gaze before speaking to him. "Darkness? But… why? I can't do that… that's how Terra… that's how Ven…"

She couldn't finish her sentence before a surge of emotions came over her again. She clung onto Sephiroth and broke down crying once more with her tears falling from her face and onto Sephiroth's lap.

Sephiroth continued to hold Aqua in one arm as he watched her cry. He was slightly amused by her mixed emotions over a short period of time, but he also was finding confusion. He was not confused by Aqua… but also by himself.

It had taken a moment to really realize, but he was still holding her in an slight embrace. He thought he had given up on humanity and discarded emotions like compassion. He had turned his back on the world and no longer saw the need to care for anyone but himself. And yet here he was with a woman who he found to be fascinating beyond anything he ever had seen before. He found himself actually wanting to be near her, to hold her in his arms and keep her by his side. It was confusing to him as well as intriguing. He internally thanked Mother once again for bringing him to Aqua.

But now he frowned a little as he watched over Aqua, who still was sobbing. Though he had succeeded in breaking all of Aqua's hope, she was still wary and against the darkness. It seemed there was still more to do to get Aqua to stay by his side.

"I know what you must be thinking Aqua, but you must understand, I know what is best. It may be hard to understand now, but everything will be alright," Sephiroth said as he pulled back some of Aqua's hair that had fallen in front of her eyes. "I only want to see you be happy again. It's a terrible thing to see you crying like this."

" _Happy?"_ Aqua thought to herself as her heart ached. " _How… How could I ever be happy again? I have nothing left… There's nothing left for me to be happy about…"_

More worrisome thoughts soon came flooding into Aqua's mind. "I still don't think I can. There is just so much I lost because of the darkness. Zack...he would not have gone the way of darkness either. It's just...there's always a way...there has to be…" Her words grew faint as she finished, bowing her head again.

As Aqua finished what she was saying, Sephiroth felt that she might be slipping away. He knew that he had to do something to bring her completely over to his side.

"Oh, but Aqua, wouldn't your friends want you to do what is best for you? Besides, you've made decisions based on trying to be selfless before in an effort to protect your friends. But look where that got you…" He trailed off his words in a monotonous tone free of emotion.

She started to say something as tears still fell. "Maybe...maybe you're right. I don't know anymore. What is right...what is wrong...this all feels like a bad dream. But, there has to be a way for things to get better."

Feelings of guilt flooded her mind after what Sephiroth had just said. Maybe everything had been her fault after all. Aqua shifted slightly and finally realized that she was still laying against Sephiroth. With her head against his chest, she could hear his steady heartbeat. Not only that, but she was still being held gently by him. New thoughts came to her now as she stayed close to him. " _Sephiroth… He is here for me. I can't forget that. I actually feel...safe when I am near him. I haven't felt like this… in forever."_ Aqua finally had stopped crying and slowly began to relax as she continued to rest against Sephiroth.

"Thank you…" Aqua mumbled softly.

Sephiroth chuckled slightly at her response while also seeing that her breathing had steadied and her tears had stopped, Sephiroth took this time to take the next step in his plan. " _I must make sure that Aqua will stay with me. And there is only one way I know that can ensure our connection and make it stronger."_

Sephiroth cleared his throat. "Aqua, it pains me to see you so upset. So I have a offer for you."

Aqua sat up straight as she looked at Sephiroth. She tilted her head to the side slightly. "An offer?"

Sephiroth smiled coldly, though Aqua no longer could see it as that, she just simply saw him smiling. "Yes. I know of a way to give you a certain type of power. You won't have to ever feel alone again. Never again will you have to feel abandon or sad."

Aqua listened carefully to Sephiroth's words. Slowly she felt more and more tempted by his offer after every second that passed. She wanted to feel happy again. She didn't want to have her heart be in such pain. Though… she still lingered a little. She was not full certain of what Sephiroth had to offer her.

"Is this power… the same power that you have?" Aqua questioned.

Sephiroth nodded. "Yes it is. And with this power, I can make sure that no one can hurt your heart again." Sephiroth grabbed Aqua's hands and held them in his. "I promise to keep you safe and this power can help you."

Aqua closed her eyes and thought everything over. She wasn't fully sure at first, but she desperately wanted to feel happy again. She had no idea what this power was that Sephiroth talked about, but if it could help her… it couldn't be a bad thing. Sephiroth had been honest with her this entire time, so she saw no reason to distrust him on this. Opening her eyes again she looked into Sephiroth's eyes as she spoke.

"Maybe...your way could do something. I just want to find my own way, and not be alone," She trailed off before continuing. "I'm just so angry...at myself. I did this. It's all my fault. I let everyone down...and, I know I shouldn't be thinking it, but they let me down too. I'm so confused, but I'm so upset at the same time. Something has to change!"

She raised her voice slightly, a hint of anger coming from the usually calm woman. Aqua's words took Sephiroth by surprise, but only for a brief moment as a grin spread across his sullen face. He knew that he had her right where he wanted her now, as he could sense more darkness taking root inside of her.

Sephiroth continued to smiled as he placed one hand on Aqua's cheek. "I am glad you understand. This will all be for the better."

"What happens now?" Aqua asked.

"You will rest so I may give you the power I spoke of," Sephiroth said.

"But… I've already rested so much… I don't know how I could sleep any more," Aqua responded.

"Trust me Aqua. You will sleep, and when you awake you will feel new and refreshed. You will feel better than you ever did before."

And with that Sephiroth waved his hand over Aqua and weariness flowed through her body. Her eyes became heavy as she slowly fell back into Sephiroth's arms. He held her gently as her mind drifted off into sleep.

Sephiroth looked over her sleeping form again. He still was amazed by her beauty. He wanted to watch her sleep for a bit longer, but now it was time to enact the final part of his plan. To give Aqua a bit of the power that he had...the Jenova cells. It would act like a sort of virus, and flood her system to merge with her own cells, thus granting her even greater power, while also allowing him to exhibit some control over her because of it. He knew once he gave her that power, they could finally be closer than they were before. They would be connected through that power and he would make sure nothing could keep them apart.

* * *

Sephiroth continued to watch Aqua sleep after he had given her some of his power. She rested peaceful this time compared to before. As he held her in his arms his thoughts started to wander around.

" _How did I even end up in this situation...I had cast away my care of this world and all of its people. I've been alone for so long, not needing or relying on anyone. I alone deserve to be the ruler of this world. Or, so I thought…"_ His thoughts trailed off as he looked down at Aqua. Without giving a thought to what he did, his hand seemed to move on instinct as he began to rub her head gently as she laid there.

" _Now I'm taking care of this...woman. But, she's so much like mother. It's just strange...I thought all of these feelings were gone, but there's just something about her. Do, I actually care for her? Has she had that much of an impact on me?"_

* * *

When Aqua opened her eyes again, she felt a new power coursing through her. It was a strange type of power that she had never encountered before… but it did not frighten her. This new power was something else. She didn't know how to explain it, but it was...interesting. Not only that, but she did in fact feel better than she ever felt before. She looked around and found that Sephiroth was still holding her in his arms and he was smiling at her.

Sephiroth was smiling and for once it was not a cold or malicious smile. It was a smile for being proud. Everything had gone the way he hoped. Aqua now had the Mako energy in her body. Her eyes now had a slight glow to them and they were a purer blue than they ever were before. Sephiroth found himself thinking that it made her look even more beautiful.

" _This feeling I have is warm. It's just, her eyes. Am I maybe...not, that's preposterous. I've cast away all of that, yet still...I've never seen the mako do that much work to someone's eyes before. It's possible she may take this power better than I thought. I'm very intrigued now."_

"How do you feel?" Sephiroth asked as Aqua sat back up.

"Much better. Sephiroth, thank you," Aqua said with a smile.

"I told you it would help. As I said, I know how it felt. To feel left all alone in the world. That is why I wanted to share my power with you," Sephiroth said. "So you wouldn't have to be alone anymore."

Aqua suddenly became curious about Sephiroth. She realized that she had never found out what had happened to him to cause him to be so cold and alone. She knew he had talked a little about his friends who had left him, but she still did not know much else. She could tell that Sephiroth was still hurt inside, but it was buried deep within him.

"Sephiroth. Can you tell me why? What happened exactly to cause that to happen to you. To have to acquire this power?"

Sephiroth was caught by surprise by her questions. He did not think she would ask something like that.

"That...None of that matters. I no longer have a need to care for what is in the past. What's done is done. The events that happened then that lead me to where I am today do not matter anymore," Sephiroth answered before his eyes shifted off to the side.

He found it strange, but he was now thinking back to his past again. He thought about his former friends and everything that had happened. He tried to push away the thoughts, but they did not want to leave.

Aqua watched Sephiroth, seeing the loneliness in his eyes. She remembered when she first encountered Sephiroth she had seen that in his eyes. She had seen that he was lonely and broken inside. Before Sephiroth had revealed the truth, she remembered she had wanted to try and help him. Though somethings in her had changed now, she still found herself wanting to help him in some way or form.

"Sephiroth," Aqua started. "You helped and comforted me when I needed it. Now I want to return the favor and do the same for you."

Before Sephiroth could respond to her, Aqua leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him. She now held him in a gently embrace. Sephiroth had stiffened up at first, but he slowly relaxed from Aqua's hug. This was something he never had expected… yet somehow he didn't mind. He actually found himself feeling… happy from her embrace. He hadn't felt like this in many years. Her hug was not only comforting, but it also felt loving. Like a hug from a mother.

Sephiroth slowly reached up to hug Aqua back. His arms carefully wrapped around her waist as he held her gently. His head rested against her chest as she moved her hands to hold his head. This hug… he actually was enjoying this. The longer they stayed in their hug, the more warmth and comfort Sephiroth began to feel.

In the next moment he moved his wing around Aqua, bringing her in closer. He found himself wanting more of this feeling Aqua was giving him. He didn't want her to let go.

" _Aqua… Besides herself, she has bestowed on me such a wonderful thing. A wonderful… feeling. How funny that I think of this now… all because of her."_

* * *

And there's the end of that crazy ride. It took a bit to get here to this point, but it's all going according to plan. Hehe. I wanna say a big thanks to all of you who are following this crack story idea and thank you for the support. I'm gonna be working on the next stuff as soon as I can and hope to get it all soon. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Until the next time!

 ****EDIT: 9/22/2019  
** So just an update to everyone here. It's been a while on this story. I've been wanting to continue it but lost the drive for it. But thanks to **Riku Kingdom Hearts** who encouraged me to get back to it, I am now looking it all over to plan again. So thank you to all of the new followers/favorites/reviews on the story, and I hope to have something sooner than later.


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